The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-11-06
A woMAN's COURAGE.
her Strange Home in an Arizona Desert
Tho Beautiful Oasis.

\ l'N .NfilN SsN u purity VI ITbNlttloIN
who had been exploring the Santa Rita
mountains, in Arizona, came to the crum-
bling remains Of one OF the most ancient
missions, where they found shelter for the
night. The following morning ono of their
number, hiigucd and half sick, bcsidessui-
iering severely from an affection Of the
eyes which rendered him half blind for
the time persuaded his companions
IA 60 on without him, while he remained
for DAY or two 10 rest and rccupcHtc.
Ieft alone, he wandered for time about
the odd mission, noting the tokens of arch
itcctural beauty displayed by the crum-
bling walls, dreaming n little Of what il
must have been in its DAYS Of strength and
power. and finally saddled his horse and
wandered down into the valley Ia survey
the country
lie had gone but a mile or two when he
came upon little wooded knoll, and
ascendcd !, for the view he iancici might
bc obtained from its summit. When hc
looked about he was amazed. ! think he
ruhl-d his ewes little 10 assure himself
he was no, dreaming There below him,
hut u few hundred PAGES frum the foot Of
the knoll on which hc stood, in the midst
of a valley which hc had believed 10 bc
sterile and uninhabitcd, was vcritablc
oasis, hooking like an enchanted garden.
He saw several acres of nicely titled land,
thriving orchard irrigated by u xanje cvi.
IDENTITY taken from the Santa Cruz river,
and in the midst Of the frrsh, green iolingc
stood neat adobe buildings, surrounded by
bright hucd flowers Promising himself
that lac would 20 down and visit this en-
terprising mnchcro, who had evidently
succeeded in extracting u living FROM the
arid soil. and had 'madc the desert bios
som like the rose lac threw himself down
under the shade NJ the willows, and, over.
come 10y weakness and fatigue. fell asleep
lie awokc Ia find two sweet, dusky eyes
steadily rcgarling him through the green
leaves, aud found that they belonged "a u
charming little maid III six ~ seven years
of agc, whose dark skin told ui her McNi.
can blood
''Scnor sick2' she asked graycly.
Yes, senior sick. Come here aud see
me.
But she was OF like shy and startled
bird. In few minutes she returned In
company with gentle .matron, whose Hid
face and quiet manner told of life of SCR.
now and strength that had been born of il.
With perfect dignity and cOmpusurr, aud
In the broken, liquid patuls into which
the southern races transform our harsh
mother tongue, she expressed her sympa
thy lnr him, and Offered him the hospital.
ty 81 her home until hc should grow
stronger aud H. able W travel apnin.
lie remained ior seNeml DAYS, and learned
The history al life that Tor simple Ia,tho,
hcroism and resolution has few parallels
Seven years before she had come a. the
little ranch with her husband, her brother,
and -ycn children. the eldest " manly
boy ol thirteen years. The hostile Indians
We're making constant raids through the
country at that time, and Just m the three
men oi the family ncar'd the ranch With q
bunch al cattle, upon which they expected
60 place their chief Dependence, the
Apaches swept down upon them, Killing
the men aud bearing of the cattle.
The poor wife aud mother helplcssly
witnessed the slaughter Of her dear ONES.
They did not kill her, hut perhaps she did
not thank them ior that. hut she had six
little children left, the youngest babe In
arms, the very child Who had spicd out
the stranger
She hal no money, no friends, no
with its ditch III running water. aud one
CIV. The land had bccn sct out with fgr
and olive tCcs, little morr than slender
twigS NJ that time, needing ccasclcHs cul.
tiNaiion aud cnrr before they could posi-.
bly, Yield any income. II she had bccn nm
American woman unless she wen, III
exceptional pluck. very much fear that
IN her lear aud tcrrur she would have nj
Hsl a..
and thrown herself upun the piiV
and charity nf the mhabitnni.
HsS little family would have hccn
scattered among the benevolent people.
AMI by and hy .hc would have married
eono gallant luniirrsman Who would not
have caUd Ia hc bothered with the six
childnn, and the little ones would have
rrmaincd perennial Nnrls " the public.
She came IT race IN whose women We
ar accustomed Ia deny cpurng,', industry.
and Independence. yci what shc
dill DO WIS a. determine that she
would keep her little fold unhrnkcn
AMI maintain them herself In the ,lcsnlnir
home left them hy their numbered father.
AMI ihcrc they had lived. year after year,
always cuniri,Ing To exc living from ~,
tDil, until the one COW had Increased "a
thrc ~ hour horse 90 two had been ac
quincd, the trr,s had grown lirgc and pro
ducli,c, the childrn, waxing llrvr ans
tinong In the hcalthiul life, had
come Ia years when they wen
no longer burden, hut help Il
tlic ioiling mother. They were ~ alimc,
i've, prsCntahlc and crcdltahlc u It'll,
Hook AZ NCrc ever brcd Ia cultured com.
muniiy Or graduated from civilized schools.
otoNing up under the solemn shadow OF
The old mission, with the refining influence
Of fairly well informed mother, and with
Tie grand spur Ia character formation
which only daily ncursity can give. they
vcn building up fine, scltrlianI
natures aud the eldest girl, then sixteen
was already u scli poised, charming woman
Their nearest ncighbOr was still ten miles
distant They saw no strangers save ~,
rood padr, Who came nov aud then Il
spend day with them, and the iray.lon
passed on the road near by Their one ar
tlcle Of commerce was the fg. dried under
the mothers skilliul supervision, and
which they sold 10 passing wayiaru IL
dainty willow baskets, which she hat
taught them 10 weave.
When the visitor departed he gave N,
fhildrcn ", and earned their enthusiast,
gratitude, ior they had probably never scci
~ much money bcloro la their lives. II,
went of with u pack Of merry little pcopl'
racing after him. and M hong ~ he was II
hearing cries Of Adde'S adios Gmcias
gracias, good Americana ringing In hi
eaiH.
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